What is Kinder Morgan’s record of spills?

This page builds on information from a Tsleil-Waututh Nation report that assesses the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline and tanker project. You can read and download the full reporthere.

Since the 1960s, the longest period of time the Trans Mountain Pipeline has gone without a spill is approximately four years(Kinder Morgan Spill Chart). Most of these spills have been of crude oil. Crude oil spills have dire and long-lasting impacts on the environment and are incredibly difficult to clean. Below are notable spills originating from Kinder Morgan facilities in the last twenty years.

British Columbia South Coast

June 4, 2007: 69,950 litres (440 barrels) of crude oil were spilled at former Wahleach pump station, and reports indicate that the Kinder Morgan pipeline may have been leaking for weeks beforehand (BC Metis Kinder Morgan Assessment, p. 4).

July 24, 2007: 250,000 litres (1,500 barrels) of crude oil spilled out of the pipeline in Burnaby, BC. The crude oil flowed through neighbourhood storm sewers and ditches before entering and contaminating a large portion of Burrard Inlet (CBC).

Elsewhere in North America

November 9, 2004: Five people were killed, and four were injured in an explosion that occurred when an excavator hit a Kinder Morgan gas pipeline in Walnut Creek, California (SFGate). Kinder Morgan had failed to properly mark the pipeline’s location, and the excavator operator had been given an inaccurate map (The Tyee, Huffington Post).

November 21, 2004: A storm caused a 14-inch diameter pipeline in Sacramento California to erupt, causing an 80-foot geyser of oil to shoot into the air. The leak was not discovered until the next morning, and the nearby highway was closed, followed by Kinder Morgan’s multi-day clean-up response (US EPA, p. 1).

How would Orcas be impacted by the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline? Marine Mammals, including orca, are at risk in the event of an oil spill: Southern resident killer whales in British Columbia are considered endangered species, while northern whales are considered threatened but recovery plans in place are weak. Many marine mammals, including orca reside in or visit Burrard Inlet.

Is there an economic need for the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline? There is no economic need for the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline. We do not need to expand current pipeline infrastructure to export the oil we have available for export. Based on current supply and market predictions, current pipeline and rail infrastructure will suffice

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